


Blessings, And How to Accurately Count Them

by EiriTheBear



Category: GOT7
Genre: All-Boys Dormitory, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Best Friends, Envy fic, Feels, Heavy Angst, Inferiority Complex, Loser!JB, M/M, Part-Time Job As Barista, Plotting, Roommates, School Politics, Underage Drinking, Winner!Jackson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-09
Updated: 2016-12-23
Packaged: 2018-09-07 11:49:37
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8799721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EiriTheBear/pseuds/EiriTheBear
Summary: ON HIATUSJaebum and Jackson are the best of friends, but Jaebum's been keeping something from Jackson, something that has been building up for a long time.Jackson Wang, the most perfect guy in the world who always wins at everything he does, has been the primary cause of Jaebum's pain for years.Jackson doesn't know. Jaebum has no idea how to deal with it.They're off to university, and everyone knows that college is a competitive place.How is he supposed to handle losing to Jackson again? And will he find someone who cares this time around?





	1. Ugly

**Author's Note:**

> Ugh another WIP lol. As if I don't already have my hands full.
> 
> I just really wanted to write something K-POP this time, and who better to use for a slashfic than some of the members of GOT7?
> 
> Let's start with the angst, shall we?
> 
> Accompanying Music: Ugly by 2ne1

The fist-clenching and jaw-jutting behavior that Jackson so often teased him about for years rears its ugly head again.

Jaebum's walking towards the main street outside school, fists jammed in his pockets as Jackson bids farewell to the rest of the fencing team.

"JB, wait up--hey," Jackson catches up to him, hand settling on his shoulder. "You OK, man? You seem a little bit ... wound-up."

Jaebum doesn't pause, concentrating on his strides and not letting it on for even a fraction of an expression that he wants to talk about feelings at the moment. He does, however, pick his head back up, glancing quickly at Jackson.

He isn't surprised to catch a glimpse of Jackson's big round eyes and careworn look, an expression so familiar to him that it just refuels his stupid frustrations.

 _Unfair,_ he thinks, because not only is Jackson _Jackson--_ ace athlete, brilliant student, stratospheric popularity--he also has to be handsome, and strikingly so, even if he does look sweaty and disheveled in his sleeveless shirt and frumpy sweats.

"I just ... have a lot on my mind right now," Jaebum replies vaguely. The hand on his shoulder is beginning to feel like a sack of rice, weighing him down with guilt and self-loathing.

He doesn't shrug the hand off.

He doesn't want to hurt Jackson or anything. He just wants to beat him at something.

Anything, really.

But that won't ever happen. Jackson's ...

Jackson's good. At everything.

And he doesn't think he'll ever stop being bitter about it.

He can hear Jackson pouting at this point, but he doesn't elaborate.

"The guys wanted to say goodbye," Jackson says hesitantly, hands coming up to twine behind his head. Jaebum's shoulders ease a little as the weight slips off of him. "I mean, come on--we're _moving_ to university in two days. We're going to be college-educated men!"

Their friends--well, Jackson's friends--they're nice enough, but they only really like Jaebum because he's Jackson's best friend and they're all in the same fencing team. It made sense to hang around with that crowd, but now, with another crushing defeat under his belt, and another chapter of his life closing so anticlimactically, it's kind of pointless to say goodbye now and make everything more emotional than necessary. He didn't forge any lifelong relationships like Jackson did.

_I mean I get that they're gonna miss Jackson--he's the peerless fencing guy who brought the team to the national stage--and Jackson's gonna miss them, sure, but miss me? What a load of bull._

"They can send me a text message, then," Jaebum mutters, though he highly doubts that any of them would.

"Oh, believe me, they will," Jackson says encouragingly, and then adds, with a softer, lower tone: "Mingyu's probably texting right now."

"You should keep your phone in hand, then," Jaebum says. "I'm sure he'll send you one filled with emojis." _And maybe send me one too, since Jackson and I are a package deal. Or more like, he's the main course, and I'm just the sour kimchi side dish he comes along with.  
_

Jaebum has Jackson's little fixation on the younger fencer pretty much figured out. Sometimes he even suspects that Jackson goes out of his way to single out Mingyu during practice sessions. And the taller boy often mentions Jackson whenever Jaebum indulges the boy with private lessons. It all makes sense to him. He's not blind.

It's obvious that Jackson's got a crush.

It's just a pity that the guy happened to be someone Jaebum was interested in.

Of course, he knows Jackson doesn't do it intentionally. Doesn't, like, steal people from his life. It's just the way things are, ever since they were kids.

People meet Jaebum and they like him, and then they meet Jackson, essentially a better, brighter, more improved version of him, and they forget all about him.

He doesn't think he's ever going to talk to Mingyu again. After all, how can he even compare, when Jackson's right there, smiling silly like the sun itself gave birth to him and being so friendly that it's almost painful how charming he is without even trying?

The only reprieve that Jaebum sees from it all is that summer is ending, and Jackson's moving to university along with him. Whatever plans he has to pursue Mingyu will be thrown out, because the boy will be an entire province away.

"I'm just glad that we're finally getting out of this dump."

He doesn't mean to be so harsh about it. He likes their small town. But everyone knows everybody here, meaning to say everybody knows who Jackson is, and who his quieter, less capable friend is. Going to university means meeting new people, and hopefully, new people who won't be so impressed by Jackson and will actually look at Jaebum's direction for a change.

Jackson darts a concerned look toward him. "Hey, don't be like that." He then perks up a little bit. "C'mon! Let's go to that ramen place you love so much!"

Jaebum really doesn't feel like being around his best friend at that moment, the sharp pang of defeat still coursing through his veins.

It was the last tournament of the summer, and Jaebum couldn't even reach the semis, not when he was unfortunate enough to be pitted against Jackson early on. His family had to go down all the way from the countryside to see him compete, only to be left feeling disappointed.

 _It was really unfortunate for you, honey,_ his mom said, _to compete with Jackson so early._

 _If only I had Jackson for a son,_ his dad sighed dejectedly,  _I mean, it's nothing against you, son, but Jackson, he's--he's amazing! Olympic-worthy!_

Of course, his family treats Jackson almost as if they are brothers, and most certainly as though Jaebum is the black sheep of the family.

Jaebum's resigned to it, forever living in Jackson's shadow. And he can't exactly do anything about it, because Jackson isn't doing anything bad. He's just ...

He's just being himself.

And all things considered, Jackson's still his best friend. He always talks to him and makes sure he isn't alone wallowing in his own self-pity.

But it's simply not enough. He just wishes that someone else would notice him for a change.

"I actually have some packing to do, still," Jaebum says distantly, edging away and quickening his pace a little. "And these days mom wants me home all the time before she sends me off."

"Oh! I can come over and help out--"

"That's--"Jaebum just barely manages to hold his tongue. He can't lash out. He _can't_. He's been doing this for years. Restraint has been his constant companion ever since they were kids, all the way up to high school when fun and games died and competitiveness came to the funeral.

"I just need to be alone for a while, Jackson. It's not you, it's just--" he huffs out a sigh. "It's about leaving this place and moving, you know?" he lies. "I just need to come to terms with it by myself for a bit. OK?"

The rest of the walk home, Jackson remains silent, though Jaebum can feel his gaze as a constant prickling on the side of his face. He can't help but feel guilty--he always feels guilty, because honestly, Jackson doesn't deserve a friend like him--but he's just so exhausted and high-strung that anything Jackson says next at that moment might push him over the edge.

That night, Jaebum decides to get shit-faced, pulling out a full bottle of Scotch from under his bed. It was something that he pilfered from his dad's office a long time ago, something that he hasn't really thought about until now.

The rest of the evening sees him spiraling into a quiet, broken mess.

Since they were five years old, he and Jackson have been thick as thieves. They never left each others' side for more than a few days, and enjoyed doing the same kinds of things, whether it was bug-catching or scaling the big boy monkey bars or messing around at the arcade.

Back then, things had been so easy and fun. Back then, Jaebum could just stand up, brush himself off and smile, saying 'next time, I'll definitely catch more frogs!' or 'I'll totally reach the other end of the playground before you!'.

But as the years passed and their hobbies became more serious, each tiny defeat became harder and harder to overcome.

Jaebum always prided himself for being a good sport, always so graceful and good-natured whenever he lost, but all these things, they tend to pile up, like a trickling of sand in an hourglass.

Spelling bee. Track and field. Hip-hop dance. Popularity. Girls. Singing contest at the school festival. Gymnastics. Baduk. Class president. Entrance exam results.

Life, basically.

It ended up hurting more and more, so much so that it made him choke sometimes, filled him with so much anguish and resentment that he locked himself in his room, just so he could squeeze out his tears and growl into his pillow.

He's not sore about it. He's not. It's just that, he puts in so much effort, so much of his time that he's almost always a man possessed, while Jackson, he doesn't even have to do anything. It all just ... comes naturally to him.

It's hard to blame someone who's gifted, but it hurts, watching your efforts go to waste each and every time.

It piles up, like the trickling of sand in an hourglass. An open hourglass that's pretty much filled to bursting.

The fencing tournament is just one of many others, but he really, really doesn't know how much more of it he can take.

Especially now that they're going to the same university and everything.

Everything is just so fucking frustrating.

He downs another glass, lukewarm and stinging against his throat, and tries to forget.


	2. Poison

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay lots of new characters
> 
> Accompanying Music: Poison by Secret

They end up being roommates, upon Jackson's request.

There's only one room left on the fourth floor of a men's only guesthouse in Mapo-Du that fit both their budgets exactly. It has wireless internet, a shared bathroom, and enough space that two individuals couldn't possibly complain about boundaries. A coffee house on the first floor that feels quaint and isolated sits perfect there for students. There's a gym at the next block. And best of all, it's actually near their school.

Jackson calls it destiny. Jaebum thinks it's karmic retribution for whatever atrocity he committed in his previous life.

"We have to have to _have to_ get it, Jaebum, it's _perfect,"_ Jackson said excitedly, eyes shining, shaking him when they finish dorm hunting. They're at the downstairs café, deliberating on their options. Students mill about already, and there's a sense of pure, unadulterated academe in the air. The smell of baked goods and coffee wafting in the air makes Jaebum feel homey and comfortable.

He agrees begrudgingly that it is perfect for them, but agreeing means that he'd have to room with Jackson.

It takes a whole day of pleading and begging, puppy-eyes and unrealistic, ridiculous bribes before Jaebum caves eventually. He gives in because he's backed into a corner and any second now some other duo might snatch the place from them. And where would they live? In some alleyway at five neighborhoods away.

They bring their things over three days later, with the two hauling ass from Jaebum's dad's van all the way to the fourth floor, making several trips.

"It had to be the fourth floor," Jackson complains, setting down a box of personal items. "And no elevator! My legs can't take it anymore." He plops down on a clean, empty bed, already marking it as his own. Jaebum thinks about how Jackson's the one with the thunder thighs in the equation. He's not supposed to be complaining.

"Upperclassmen own the lower rooms," Jaebum points out, though he knows that Jackson already knows this.

Feeling winded, Jaebum stops by the doorway and inspects the place again, slightly dejected by the outcome. The price for rent is steeper than his budget, but Jackson promises to cover the rest.

"I'd have to get a job," Jaebum mutters in a brooding tone that foreshadows the rest of his semester.

Jackson kicks off his shoes and levels him with furrowed eyebrows. "Dude, I told you. I got it--"

"It'd be hell to squeeze into my schedule, but I'll make do," he says without pause, his mouth a short, stubborn line. The glare he sends Jackson strikes the other boy dumb, but his eyes still look concerned throughout the rest of the day, no matter how much Jaebum tells him to cut it out.

A week has passed, and although Jackson has been a completely well-behaved, model roommate, Jaebum is still short and stiff around him.

"I'll give you back-massages and, and full access to my hat closet for the whole year!"

This is how Jackson usually deals with him whenever he's moody and unapproachable.

"It's kind of pointless, continuing to negotiate with me when I've already agreed to the whole arrangement," Jaebum says as he personalizes his desk with all sorts of crap. Dictionaries, reference books, two pencil cases, some scratch books, a small clock, a squeeze toy.

His desk is a student's dream compared to Jackson's, which already contains two empty bags of chips and a half-empty bottle of this energy drink called 'Hard Carry'. It tastes like sugary motor oil, and he says as much to Jackson, but the other boy lives for it.

"I know that," Jackson says petulantly. "But you've been ignoring me the whole week, babe."

Jackson's arms wrap around Jaebum's stomach out of nowhere, and Jaebum yelps when Jackson starts planting big mouthy kisses on his shoulder.

"Ugh, stop! Babe? You're so gross," he says, but there's a crack in his facade, the corners of his lips twitching traitorously. Jackson sees it and doesn't desist.

They end up on the floor, trying to pin the other down. It's childish, and they use a lot of unsportsmanlike tactics. Jackson tries to shove a foot up his nose and Jaebum narrowly misses kneeing Jackson in the balls.

They tire out and go limp around the same time, with Jackson's head nuzzling Jaebum's stomach and Jaebum's body sprawled out like a carpet.

"I just miss you, you big grump," Jackson whines. "I haven't seen you all week and whenever I do you brush me off."

Jaebum hates how Jackson's voice goes soft with the admission. He's not obligated to hang out with Jackson all the time. He has his own life, too. Granted, he hasn't made any friends, while Jackson's already making a name for himself as 'the puppy on the fourth floor with all the snapbacks'.

But that aside, he doesn't want Jackson's pity. It's literally the last thing he needs, for Jackson to think that he's somehow below him, that he's someone who's in need of being helped out.

But Jackson clings to him still, and he's reminded of the many times that Jackson ran away from home in the past, when things got loud over at his house. He'd climb up the tree outside Jaebum's room and break in like a larcenist, and Jaebum would find him and get scared shitless by a boy rummaging through his closet for clothes. Jackson would cry out and demand a lot of things, food, blankets, movies ranging from Kick-Ass to Pride & Prejudice, babbling about everything from his parents' clashing personalities to nonsensical things like g-strings and lube.

Jaebum has stayed by the other boy's side over the years because, whether he likes it or not, Jackson needs him. He still doesn't know why, and he's given up trying to figure it all out, but Jaebum's always been a person who's easily pressured by guilt.

Of course, that hasn't worked well for him so far.

He allows himself to get dragged to this party over at the next dormitory near Seongnam.

It goes exactly the way he expects it.

It doesn't happen immediately. They walk into a dimly-lit private studio apartment, heavy bass and loud music rending the air, and chatter filling in the rest. Jackson says hi to the first familiar face he sees, a guy whose name Jaebum vaguely recalls as Sunggyu. The older student drags Jackson away before he can make a grab for Jaebum's wrist, and suddenly, he's disappeared.

In the meantime, Jaebum makes his way over to the drinks, and although he's not legal to drink yet he sneaks around the table to get some beer, squinting at the spiked punch for  few seconds before ignoring it completely.

Over the course of the hour, he sees Jackson passing by, with two guys, then three, then two girls, and then a crowd, and it's high school all over again, with Jackson being this gravity well of popularity, going through a room and catching random people into orbit.

"Who are you?"

Jaebum snaps his head to the side, eyes settling on a boy around his age, gazing curiously at him. He's wearing a crisp white shirt and chinos, leaving the impression that the guy's a studious type.

"Depends on who's asking," he says cautiously, turning his body away from the direction of Jackson's posse to properly address the guy. He draws a plastic cup to his lips and takes a sip, trying to seem aloof.

"I don't remember you being on the invitation list," the guy says simply. He doesn't look upset about it, but his eyes are looking at him up and down, not in an interested manner but in an assessing kind, like he's being scanned for hidden weapons or contraband. Jaebum suppresses the urge to shiver.

"I came here with a friend," he says, ducking his head in slight mortification. He feels stupid for not having the good sense to ask Jackson who was hosting the party they were going to. "I can leave, if you really are the host and you want me gone."

"That would be for the best, yes," the boy says curtly, and although Jaebum doesn't even know him, hurt flashes briefly across his face before he's schooling it back under his control.

"Alright," Jaebum replies stiffly. "Have a great evening."

The man gives him one last lingering glance, before disappearing into the throes of students.

Jaebum exits the party without Jackson, too shaken and embarrassed to be in public. He's assuming that Jackson would be caught right in the middle of a band of busybodies anyway, so he doesn't look for him, instead fishing out his phone while storming quickly through the streets. He fires off one succinct text.

JB :: _I left the party early. Big day tomorrow, first day of work and all._

On the way back, he tries and subsequently fails to block out how the night ended.

The boy at the party had every right to kick him out, but it still left a pang in his chest that wouldn't go away. It felt like an outright rejection, and the privacy of it made things all the more personal.

It could have been worse, he admits, he could have been bodily dragged out of there with other people watching, but somehow, the way the boy dismissed him--with sheer disdain in his eyes and indifference in his voice--makes him feel a lot more humiliated.

For the rest of the night, he tosses and turns in bed, unable to sleep.

He hates feeling small. It used to be that only Jackson could make him feel that way, but they're living in a bigger world now, and they're surrounded by a wider spectrum of people. The chances are high that they're going to meet a lot of heartless dicks along the way. It's a lot more daunting now that he thinks about it, and he does, until his mind tires, his eyelids falling shut, and his breathing slowing into sleep.

 

The following day, Jaebum receives alarming news that around thirty students have been hospitalized due to food poisoning, with Jackson being one of them. He overhears two guys in their year talking about it in the laundry room that morning.

"They said it was something in the punch," one guy with short hair and an unusual yet comfortable fashion sense says, grimacing. "I heard Sunggyu-hyung's at the hospital."

"Yeah, yeah," his friend replies, shoving freshly dried clothes in a basket. "I got a text from Yura-noona saying that Seulgi's bedridden, too. There's also Naeun, and two others from this building. Seokjin-hyung and Ken-hyung--which is surprising because when do they ever party?--And also, that boy who wears a snapback. The cute guy. Jack? Jackson?"

"Damn." The first boy whistles. "Glad I didn't go, then."

The friend hoots in laughter. "Like hell you'd get invited, Namjoon."

"Hey," Namjoon scowls. "I'm super chill. And you're one to talk--the only place Jung Hoseok would get invited to is a brothel on a discount."

"'Least I get laid a lot, Mother Teresa."

Jaebum quits the conversation after that, rushing down to work. He isn't able to visit Jackson immediately, because it's his first day on the job as a barista at the coffee house below their dormitory. But he does drop by the local infirmary in the afternoon, to bring Jackson some takeout, saltines, and vitamin water.

"My savior." Jackson springs from the bed as Jaebum enters the room unannounced. Jackson looks like an exploded sunflower, all tattered around the edges but still bright and enervating.

"You look like a hot mess, Jackson Wang." Jaebum sets a few paper bags down on the bedside table, ignoring the way Jackson watches him as he takes out a box of mandu and cold noodles and lays them out next to the guy. "Are you OK to eat yet? If not I'll just eat all of this and you can have the V2O."

"My stomach's still upset," Jackson says dejectedly, and Jaebum's hand shoots forward to press down on Jackson's shoulder.

"Then lie down and get some more rest, you idiot," Jaebum orders gently. "You always think you're doing better than you actually are. I'm willing to bet you got out of bed a bunch of times just to go to the other patients' rooms."

"Yeah, and I threw up afterwards," Jackson admits shyly, before plopping down on the bed and groaning. "It _sucks_. You shouldn't have left me at that party. You abandoned me like a cute puppy next to a river and let a storm surge just wash me away. You're so mean."

Jaebum raises an eyebrow at him, popping a dumpling into his mouth. "You must be feeling better if you're well enough to dish out your usual kind of idiotic crap."

"You wouldn't trade away my usual idiotic crap for anything else in the world, admit it," Jackson beams, his hand darting out from the bed to snatch a dumpling from the box.

"Shut up and get better already. We already have a backlog of laundry and you're not doing your share of the work."

Jackson gapes at him. "See? You're _mean._ You're a tyrant. A slave driver. I should call the cops on you and hire me a social worker. I want to get emancipated."

"Dude, shut up."

 

The following week, everyone at the university is talking about 'the party where everyone got food poisoning', and somehow everyone who was involved and was hospitalized shot up the social status ladder. Jaebum hasn't heard of a more ridiculous story in his life. _Literally, they got popular off of food-poisoning. How does that make any sense?_

He admits that it makes sense, if some of the popular upperclassmen were involved. The older students who got mentioned often, like Sunggyu, Minho, and Kikwang, were poisoned, too, and for some reason or other their popularity bled out during their time at the hospital and seeped into the younger students.

Sunggyu in particular greets Jackson out in the lobby quite frequently, and he and Jackson share this look, like they were in on something that Jaebum isn't a part of. _They were. They got food poisoning together. Which is apparently a life-changing episode for some._

He resolves not to stress about Jackson's newfound fame and focuses on his studies and his part-time job instead.

Of course, time and time again his self-imposed isolation gets interrupted, whenever the guys that live in the building have no other option than to hang out in the coffee house where he works.

Namjoon and Hoseok in particular like bringing Jackson over for some caffeine and sugary sweet pastries. Jaebum tends to ignore their group, even as Jackson shoots him glances every five minutes like he's waiting for Jaebum to notice.

During the end of the third week, on a Friday afternoon, Jaebum is at the last hour of his shift when the boy from the party appears before him, walking towards the counter.

Jaebum can't exactly say he's surprised--a lot of students come here--but he almost always sees familiar faces, and this boy certainly isn't from this neighborhood.

The student doesn't say anything for a while and just stares at the menu overhead, and Jaebum's expression darkens, because there's this tiny hint of a smile on the guy's face that's telling him that the guy recognizes him and is taking his time on purpose.

Jaebum doesn't say anything either, sparing his new customer the courtesy, and for the first time since coming to college, his fists curl next to him and his jaw sets defiantly. He remembers the way it went down at the party all too clearly, and although he's told himself that he's moved on from that, the picture of the other boy's slightly amused face is serving as a staunch reminder.

"I'll have a caramel macchiato large, please, Jaebum," the guys says almost charmingly, and Jaebum's eyes widen in surprise.

"How did you know my name?" he asks, flummoxed.

At this, the guy snorts, smirking at him and looking down at his breast.

"Nametag."

"Oh," Jaebum says, feeling stupid. "Right."

The boy doesn't say anything else and hands him the money, while he punches down on the numbers in the cash register with a little more force than necessary. He then takes a cup from one of the stacks and a marker from one of the mugs, leveling the boy with a look.

"Name please," he inquires flatly.

The boy stares back at him blankly. "I thought you would know by now."

Jaebum does, in fact, know. He asked Jackson what his name was in passing, during the same week as the party when his memory of the guy was still fresh.

_Hey, uh, hat's the name of the guy who hosted that party we went to?_

He etches down the name, 'Mark', in neat but simple handwriting.

When he shows the boy, he's surprised to find a deep frown on his face.

"Wrong," he says calmly, plucking the marker out from Jaebum's fingers. He then takes another cup of the same size from a nearby stack and writes down what Jaebum assumes is his right name, taking his time before handing the cup back to Jaebum.

On the cup, written in an even neater penmanship than his own, is the name 'Jinyoung'.

Jaebum nods imperceptibly, though he's still not sure as to why the guy--Jinyoung--assumed that Jaebum knows just who he is.

"Your name will be called once your order is ready," Jaebum says automatically, and Jinyoung nods.

"Thanks," he says, handing over the marker. Jaebum's eyebrows furrow as their fingers brush.

"Oh, and also," Jinyoung looks at him the same way he did that night at the party, like he's trying to scan him for hidden items. "Thanks for heeding my warning back then."

"Pardon?" Jaebum stares back, confused. He heard Jinyoung's words clearly but couldn't quite process them.

_Warning? What is he talking about?_

"At the party," Jinyoung elaborates slowly, his sharp eyebrows knitting together. "You left before they spiked the punch with bacteria."

"What?" he reels back, astonished. "Spiked the punch with--what are you saying? And who's _they?_ "

"Jinyoung--oh, Jinyoung! Oh my god, OK. Jinyoung, your order is ready!"a fellow barista says at the other end of the counter, and Jinyoung uses this as a means to escape.

"Gotta go. I'll talk to you soon, I guess," he says, with a glint in his eye and mystery in his voice, and Jaebum is left standing there, not knowing exactly what to make of the situation or the mysterious boy.

He only finds out who exactly Park Jinyoung is once his shift has ended.

He's cleaning out the espresso machine with a damp dishrag when Youngjae, his shift partner, sidles next to him and gawks.

"Dude, I had no idea you knew Jinyoung," he gushes, leaning in close. Jaebum takes a step back and eyes the other barista carefully, slinging the rag over his shoulder and crossing his arms.

"Right. Believe me, I'd be out celebrating if I knew, but I don't. Who exactly is he?" Jaebum asks, stressing the question because he's been wondering about it ever since he left with his coffee.

Youngjae looks at him like he's the most ignorant person in the world (he probably is) and then brings up a hand to point behind him. Jaebum turns, following the direction of Youngjae's finger all the way towards the back wall of the coffee house, where a huge painting of a sleazy old man hung.

"Alright," Jaebum shrugs, turning back to Youngjae. "Who's that?"

The other barista goes slack-jawed, and then the next second, he's snickering into his hand.

"Are you kidding me right now? I can't believe you don't know." He puts his hands on his hips and tilts his chin up. "That's our university president. Park Jinyoung Senior."

Jaebum squints, shaking his head a little, and then widens his eyes because--because Park _Jinyoung_. It can't be. "Senior?" he croaks.

Youngjae dons a slightly self-satisfied expression. "That's the president's son you took a coffee order from."

 


	3. Don't Listen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Accompanying Music: Don't Listen by Seventeen

For two months Jaebum doesn't run into Jinyoung, and although there was a brief amount of time when thought about the other boy and his enigmatic words constantly, the grueling lifestyle of college on top of his job bumps the incessant thoughts down the list of his priorities.

He has three classes with Jackson, something that happened only through sheer luck.

Jaebum's majoring in Economics, a track that he always thought would help him earn lots of money in the future. Jackson, because of his fencing scholarship, had a much thinner list of options. He chose Business Administration under the assumption that he would have overlapping classes with Jaebum, and he turned out to be right, much to Jaebum's silent disgruntlement.

Whenever they're in the same class, whether it's accounting or economics, Jackson would find himself pulled by the wrist to sit with a crowd. He'd then dart glances at Jaebum's direction, and Jaebum would shrug, because honestly, he much prefers it that way. He sees Jackson all the time after class, and the distance portends well for his sanity.

Jaebum sits in one corner of the class, listening well and taking notes with the same fierce determination that drives him whenever he and Jackson are pitted against each other. How he would like to pretend that they aren't, they have twenty-five people in their class alone, but it's clear that their grades are well above the rest, alternating between first and second or very well tying whenever quizzes are returned or reports are graded.

The professors noticed this of course, never letting the rivalry escape them.

"Yet again, we have two perfect scores from the latest pop quiz," notes Professor Yoo, eyes glimmering with interest. "I daresay that we have two prodigies in this class, though it's too early to call."

He calls on them both and hands them their papers, Jackson beaming with pride at him and the rest of the class who's taken quite a liking to Jackson. Jaebum is silent, head hanging as he takes his paper. He knows that the murmur of acknowledgement isn't really for him. They regard him with very little appreciation in this class. Of course, it could all very well be in his head, but that doesn't stop him from thinking the worst of the situation.

Jackson returns to his seat, and the students around him explode with chatter and congratulations. Jaebum sits down and adamantly refuses to look at Jackson's direction, because he knows that Jackson would be looking back at him, eyes looking hopeful and earnest.

It would be so much easier to hate Jackson if he was an ass about his prodigious intelligence, but of course Jackson has to make it difficult for him by being sincerely modest about everything.

Professor Yoo proceeds to hand everyone else their papers, the ordeal taking half of the class' time.

"Hey--let me take a look at that," someone says, and Jaebum glances at her. The girl has a small face, big eyes and short, bobbed hair. For the longest time, Jaebum thought of her as someone who was just taking the class to fill in a prerequisite, but as he hands his paper over to her, her eyes focus, the same way they do when she's talking to her other seatmate about makeup trends and boys.

The girl smacks her forehead as she realizes some of her mistakes. Jaebum peers at her paper and sees that she got the third highest score. He blinks at her in astonishment.

"Crap. How could I be so stupid?" she mutters plaintively. "Swear to god I lose focus whenever Bogum-oppa comes over."

She hands his paper back and then looks at him. Jaebum tenses at her scrutiny, but doesn't say anything in return.

"You're pretty good," she decides after some deliberation. "I see you putting a lot of effort in listening and taking down notes. You're not like, one of those obsessive, nerdy types, right? I mean, you look decent enough. A lot of the nerds in this place look horrible."

Jaebum doesn't know whether to feel delighted or insulted, so instead he shakes his head, and takes out his notebook to begin taking notes.

"I just like having good grades," he says, and it comes out sounding rather dark instead of friendly. He winces internally at his severe reply. She doesn't seem to be bothered by it, however, sitting back and calmly looking at him. He could feel her psychoanalyzing him in his periphery.

"I'm Lee Hyeri," she says disdainfully, and then pulls out a pretty pink notebook from her bag. He knows her name, because he has ears and her voice sometimes carries all the way to the back of the room, but the introduction isn't any less surprising.

"Im Jaebum," he replies with equal indifference, trying to focus on his graph-making skills. _You should at least make an effort to be civil._ "What's your field?"

She blinks at him two times, and then replies with: "Political Science. This is just a pre-req for some of my major classes. I'm assuming you're at home in this building? An Econ major?"

Jaebum nods, but he doesn't like how her assumption is loaded with tiny little details. _She's saying that I'm good at this class because this is my specialty._

He's unaware of the slight grimace on his face, not noticing that his expression deters her from asking more questions.

His shoulders ease a little as the time passes, even though he can feel her looking at him every now and then with curious eyes.

Once class is over, Jackson catches up to him and tells him that he promised they would balance income statements together at the library. He let himself be dragged towards the bibliotheque building, but not without berating Jackson for trying to escape chores again.

He sees Hyeri staring after them as they leave.

 

She dials a number on her phone and waits for him to pick up.

When a quiet hello comes from the other line, she smiles.

"Oppa, I think we found our Social Science representative."

She then prattles on about Jaebum's grades, his workaholic attitude, and his relationship with one Jackson Wang.

 

"Hey so, I need your input on something," Jackson blurts out suddenly, derailing him from his focus.

They're at the library occupying one of the long tables, their accounting books open and their papers spread out. Students mill about quietly, either reading or studying. Jaebum feels that slight irritation at the back of his head because Jackson isn't getting much work done. _He'd probably just wing it later on and end up with a fantastic grade. As usual._

Jaebum gives his friend a look that says, _I was working and now I've lost focus._

Jackson answers him with a look that says, _please help me, I'm hopeless without you._

Jaebum eventually sighs, and then tries to return to his debits and credits. "Out with it then."

Jackson's face brightens, and he sits up, leaning closer. "OK. So. You know how Sunggyu-hyung's running for student council, right? Like, as student body president?"

Jaebum nods distractedly, his tongue peeking out from his lips as he tries to keep his columns straight. "I may have heard about it. It must have come up somewhere while I was working the coffee house."

Jackson in turn nods with more enthusiasm, shifting close. "Yeah, yeah. So. You know that guy Mark? The one who hosted the party we attended?"

Jaebum tenses slightly at the mention of the party, but offers a noncommittal, affirmative sound.

"Well, he's looking for someone to fill his party. Like his political party. Not really him--Sunggyu-hyung is, but I've been meeting Mark since the party and they all kind of want me to be a representative."

"Is it the village idiot position you're trying to fill?"

Jaebum receives a poke in the ribs for his cheek.

"You're hilarious," Jackson says flatly, and then his gaze softens. "So I want to know if you think it's cool. I mean, if I were to fill a position in the council and everything."

Jaebum shoots him a mildly annoyed look for it. "Why ask me? As far as I'm concerned this student council thing is just making connections, power-playing, and filling up credentials for future resumes."

Jackson reels back, his eyes boggling and looking introspective at the same time, as if he's never even thought of it that way. Jaebum rolls his eyes and rules the next page of his homework with the edge of a hardbound book.

"That's why I'm asking you. Because you have a knack for this. Like, feeling around for stuff, taking note of people and situations. " Jackson leans his head on his elbow and looks at him intently. "Do you think it's worth my time? I feel like I'm setting myself up for something that I'll regret later."

Jaebum sets his pen down and takes a calming breath, before deadpanning at his friend.

"Do you like the idea of having a position in the council?"

Jackson thinks about it, and then lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "Uh, yeah I guess? It sounds cool."

"And are you their only option or are they barking up several trees for a candidate?"

Jackson frowns. "I think they've talked to several people, but they won't take anyone else seriously until I give an answer." He pauses, and then adds: "At least, that's what Mark told me."

"It sounds like they're just saying that to make it seem like it's a coveted spot. Or rather, to make you feel like they have many other options. Kind of like a push and pull."

"You think?" Jackson inquires, his eyebrows drawing together. "Are they like, playing me or something?"

Jaebum shrugs, not really in the mood to elaborate, but Jackson's doing that doe-eyed, worried look again that always, always gets to him.

"I don't think they'd go through the trouble of deceiving you if they didn't really want you for the job," Jaebum points out. "I think you should stop over-analyzing it and take it for what it is--they're recognizing your abilities and putting stock on you in the hopes that you'd help them build a better student government, or something like that."

"So ... you think I should consider it? What would you do in my shoes?" Jackson bites his lip, waiting for his response and hanging on to his every word. To this day, Jaebum still doesn't know why his opinion matters so much to someone like Jackson, who seems to have everything figured out.

"If I was the one being made an offer, I'd reject it. I'm already waist-deep in homework. I've got a term paper due this Friday. And I have a job."

Jackson rolls his eyes. "I have the same workload as you do and the fencing league on top of that."

"Yes but, you only put half as much effort as I do to get the same grades and you're a beast when it comes to a sabre," Jaebum says, unable to stop the tinge of bitterness that colored his words. "If you squeeze in a council position, that would pretty much keep you as busy as me."

There's a warring of expressions on Jackson's face. On one hand, he looks thrilled at the unexpected compliment. Jaebum rarely gives them out,, and when he does it energizes Jackson for days, turns him into a bundle of sheer joy that smothers Jaebum to death. But on the other hand, he's concerned about something, evident in the way the corners of his lips quickly turn down and his eyebrows draw further.

"I like having down time," he says, ducking his head. "If I agree to it, I wouldn't be able to see you as much."

"You mean you wouldn't be able to pester me while I'm trying to make lattes," Jaebum snorts. "Sounds like a pretty good deal to me."

"I resent that," Jackson replies, looking kicked. "I like watching you work. You look like a cat being forced to take a bath when you're taking coffee orders."

Jaebum puts his pen down and sighs again, before looking straight into Jackson's eyes. "Jackson. We see each other everyday. We're roommates for crying out loud. Namjoon thinks we're a couple or something. It's giving people the wrong idea."

Something indecipherable flashes across Jackson's face, but it's gone before Jaebum can properly pick it apart.

Jackson doesn't talk for a while, just staring into space while Jaebum resumes his work, jotting down numbers and trying to match entries for assets and liabilities.

"OK. Maybe I'll accept the offer then," the other boy mutters after a while.

"That's good," Jaebum replies absentmindedly. "I'll vote for your team when the time comes."

Their work goes on without any further interruptions, and Jaebum finishes his income statement well ahead of time. He cleans up, putting his books back in his bag and informing Jackson that he has a shift at the coffee house until midnight.

"Clean the place up, if you can. Your hamper's starting to smell like a dying animal." He narrows his eyes at Jackson when his order seems to go unacknowledged. "Hey--are you listening to me? The library's about to close."

Jackson blinks, coming out of his daze, and then looks at Jaebum with the same look he saw before, the one that he can't quite place.

"You should go ahead," he says with a faraway look on his face. "I'll just finish this and then head back to the dorm."

Confused and slightly suspicious of Jackson's change in demeanor, Jaebum walks out of the library to head to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just needed Hyeri in this fanfic. Don't ask me why lol. She's the same age as Jackiepoo and JB, and she's actually pretty smart and witty in real life.
> 
> Also, Professor Yoo is, you guessed it, the nation's MC Yoo Jaesuk.


	4. Graze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit late, but here you go.
> 
> Accompanying Music: Graze by SHINee

Jaebum head spins a little as midterm papers are returned to them, and although this always happens, something somewhere goes wrong and he comes out a point or two less, he still can't fathom how exactly he ended up being second to Jackson again, even after countless hours of revising and doing extra studying in the library, perfecting his notes, and reading in his bed until his eyes hurt from the lamplight.

He doesn't meet Jackson's eyes, but he can feel them from across the room, prickling against his skin like a spotlight. He nods to himself, pretending to be satisfied with his results and arranging his facial features into a perfectly indifferent expression, though deep inside scratching at the surface is the aching need for an explanation.

"That's a shame," Hyeri says, tilting her head and peering at his work, her mouth forming an 'o'. Jaebum's head snaps to her, eyes widening. He quickly looks back down at his paper, his thoughts whirring.

Hyeri shifts in her seat and draws out a hand to point at one of the items he got wrong. "I can't believe you didn't get this one. It's a long equation, but it's really easy."

As it turns out, carelessness is what it was. As the class goes through the whole exam to review, Jaebum quickly notices that all of his mistakes have been simple ones, a wrong symbol jotted down that messed up the rest of the equation, a '1' that he mistakenly read as a '7' that threw a whole series of answers into a tailspin--each glaring mistake making him feel so incredibly stupid.

"Yeah," he mutters, and then shrugs noncommittally, smiling with an eerie calm. He knows how to handle setbacks like this, knows how to be graceful in front of others, but college is wearing him thin, leaving him a bit more frayed and ragged with each day.

His hand twitches, and, unable to resist the urge, he runs it over the side of his face. He's tired, having to juggle shifts at the coffee house to pay for rent while studying during all his breaks. He hasn't looked in a mirror once, but he can imagine what he looks like at that moment: sunken eyes, sallow expression, pale complexion.

Professor Yoo asks him to stay behind once class is dismissed, and he has a sinking feeling in his gut as they all file out and he stays soldered to his seat that this is going to be one of those talks, the kind that many other teachers and coaches have had with him in the past.

"Jaebum-ssi," Professor Yoo starts, leveling him with a patient gaze. Jaebum ducks his head in shame, but doesn't let on more of what he's feeling. The crippling frustration, the self-resentment, the sheer weight of his inadequacy. They always expect a lot from him whenever they see him toe to toe with Jackson in the beginning, only to express their disappointment afterwards when he falters and Jackson perseveres.

There isn't any of the sort in Professor Yoo's eyes. In fact, he looks slightly concerned.

"Take a break," he advises. Jaebum looks up with wide eyes.

"Sir?" he asks, his throat tight as he swallows.

"I've recently gathered that you've been paying your own living expenses. And, ah, a sizable chunk of your tuition fees?"

Jaebum casts his eyes down and nods.

"It's very commendable," the professor says. Jaebum snaps his head up again, feeling stunned at the words.

"Impressive, really. In fact, only one other person has a part-time job in this school that's your age, and he fares much the same. Pays for his own expenses while managing the near impossible feat of keeping his grades stellar." He peers down on Jaebum curiously. "I'm assuming you already took note of your mistakes in the exam?"

Jaebum's fingers trail over the exam papers he has yet to return. The passing remark on his efforts makes his chest tighten, but no matter what there's still the fact that he didn't quite come up to par with what the professor expected of him.

"I was careless, sir. I knew how everything's supposed to go, but I must have lost concentration at some point during the exam ..." He closes his eyes and draws in a calming breath through his nose. "I had it all in my head. I was reviewing until late last night--"

"Ah," Professor Yoo stops him. "What time did you sleep last night?"

"Two a.m. ... Or three." He sits back and narrows his eyes defiantly. "Big deal. I'm a student. Students study into the night. It's normal."

The professor nods in understanding, but press on with: "And how long have you been sleeping late to study?"

Jaebum's gaze falls to the floor. He doesn't say anything for a long time, until eventually he sighs. "A month. Two months." His eyebrows then furrow in frustration. "But it's something I have to do! I don't retain information easily. I have to constantly drill it into my head for it to stick."

He isn't like Jackson, who denies having any form of exceptional or even eidetic memory but demonstrates it in everything he does without realizing it.

"Did you consider that losing sleep meant losing focus and concentration?" the professor levels him with a steady, twinkling gaze, as if he's won whatever argument they were having.

Jaebum can't help but curl into himself and scowl like a child. He hates being wrong, has always hated it when he's being talked down to. He hates it even more when he knows the other person is right and he either has to admit it or apologize. He can't help the stubborn line his lips are forming, or the bunching up of his shoulders, like he's faced with a threat.

Professor Yoo goes back around his desk and sits down, amicable smile in place. "I'm only here to look out for your health, Jaebum-ssi. I feel like you're the kind of person who doesn't sleep unless you really tire yourself out with something productive."

He peers at Jaebum for a while, observing his reactions. Jaebum resists the urge to shy away from the scrutiny. He doesn't really know why the professor is paying careful attention to him like this. He's not the only student losing sleep over college.

"I ... used to do sports," Jaebum says suddenly, as if it was forced out of him. "But now that I'm no longer doing that I focus on studying instead."

Professor Yoo inches in eyebrow upward. "Sports is a wonderful pastime. Healthy. If it's something you used to do, then it might not be a bad idea to pick it back up again. It should bring balance into your life, and the physical fatigue should force you to sleep more."

Jaebum furrows his eyebrows. "I don't understand. You want me to take a break by picking up sports again?"

The professor merely shrugs. "If it helps you improve your grades, then yes. Not that you need any improving, but I have this impression that a certain someone's performance is making you act this way."

It's something to think about, and sure enough the idea's in his head, brewing in his thoughts as he makes his way out of the building. If he's going to be honest, he's been thinking about how much he misses fencing: the weight of the sabre in his hand, the tremors along his legs as he skitters across the mat, the thrill of attacking and parrying in combat. It's something that is indeed missing from his life ever since he started university.

_But I can't take it back now. Not when Jackson's in the school fencing team._

As if summoned by his thoughts, Jackson appears before him by the building entrance.

Jaebum knows that the other boy's wide eyes are asking a silent question. Those are the eyes of someone asking for permission. Jaebum knows that on some level, Jackson feels guilty for snagging first. It's been happening between them for years that it's developed into a concern for Jackson, but Jaebum never once lets it on that he's bothered by it, even though he is.

In response to Jackson's waiting expression, Jaebum quirks his lips automatically. He's had many years to develop his own personal way of dealing with failure. It evolved into a system of thought processes and actions that comes second-nature to him and kicks in the minute he suffers defeat. Ninety-five percent of the time it's tailored with consideration towards Jackson's own way of dealing with victory. Because ninety-five percent of the time, it's Jackson whom he loses to.

He might have been thrown off-balance by the talk he had with Professor Yoo, but the instinct to assure Jackson that they're fine and that he's okay kicks in without fail.

Jackson visibly relaxes after seeing his face. His face then splits into a brilliant smile. "Movie at our place? Should we order in?"

Before Jaebum can respond, he tenses when someone steps into his space and loops an arm around his arm securely.

"Hey Jackson!" Hyeri says, smiling sweetly. Her grip closes tightly around Jaebum's arm like a clamp. "I couldn't help but overhear. Jaebum and I actually have plans today."

The two boys look at her like she's gone crazy.

"You do?" Jackson says, gaze transferring to Jaebum.

Jaebum is just about to deny it when Hyeri interrupts. "He agreed to meet some people with me at the library," she says quickly. "It won't take long. We're just doing a little revising. A private study session if you will." Hyeri laughs, and then eyes Jaebum intently. Like she's trying to send a hidden message. Jaebum feels mildly threatened by her.

She then tosses her hair behind her shoulder and smiles that sickening sweet smile again. "You wouldn't really get it, Jackson. Not all of us can be perfect like you. We common folk have to hit the books more often. You don't mind, do you?"

Jaebum can just make out the series of expressions that flit across Jackson's face--surprise, annoyance, guilt--but in the end he nods jerkily, as if stung by the remark. "O-oh. Of course. I get it. No, I don't mind. You go ahead, then." He rubs the back of his head and tries not to look too dejected. "Later, then, Jaebum?"

"Yeah," he says slowly, eyeing Hyeri suspiciously as she herds him away and walks him back into the building.

Hyeri looks satisfied with the result, pushing Jaebum away from her once they're out of sight.

"What was that about?" he asks irritably.

"What, that?" Hyeri snorts, and then shrugs. "You looked like you were going to shit yourself if you spent one more minute with him." She eyes him up and down, and then nods to herself. "You're so easy to read, Jaebum. I know a bitter person when I see one. One of these days Jackson will notice. None of us want to be there when it happens."

She walks ahead of him and he in turn narrows his eyes at her back, wondering how she knew or how he let it slip. He thinks he's so subtle because he's been fooling Jackson for years, but maybe his mask isn't so perfect, if someone like Hyeri can see right through it.

She turns to look at him, her chin on her shoulder and her lips puckered. "And I really did want you to meet some people. I didn't lie about that. Come on, then."

Jaebum follows her into the library, if only because going back to Jackson right after their charade would make him look stupid. He also wants to grill her with questions and ask her about the things he did that tipped her off about the festering bitterness he's feeling. He doesn't mind if it means spending a bit more time with her. He knows through the many conversations he's overheard that she only has eyes for one person.

"Oppa!" She dials down her voice into a loud whisper as they approach a table with people. The oldest one who's leaning over another student, someone that Jaebum has come to know from the many conversations at the coffee house as Park Bogum, looks up and grins in response.

"Hyeri-yah," he says affectionately, and for a second he looks a lot younger in Jaebum's eyes, not like at all like a political science junior who's doing a thesis early. "I was just about to give up. Thank god you're here."

Underneath him the younger student grimaces. Hyeri covers her hands and giggles. It's a side to her that Jaebum hasn't really seen. It's girly and surprisingly pleasant.

"Say no more. I brought reinforcements!" She tugs at Jaebum's sleeve and pushes him forward. "Everyone, this is Im Jaebum from my class."

Four pairs of eyes turn to him, and Jaebum's hands shoot up to grip at the strap of his backpack self-consciously.

One girl lifts her gaze from a thick textbook. "Jaebum-ssi," she says with a nod, before turning back to her book.

"You know Seulgi, from our class?" she prompts, and Jaebum nods back with a hello.

Kang Seulgi is an applied mathematics major, and she sits at Hyeri's opposite side and serves as a buffer to most of Hyeri's antics. Jaebum knows this because a lot of people in class are grateful to Seulgi.

"Is this the guy with the perfect marks? Not bad," says the guy opposite Seulgi, raising an eyebrow and leaning back, eyeing him appreciatively. "He's a bit scowl-y isn't he?"

"That's Chae Hyungwon," Hyeri says. "He majors in economics, too. He's in the other class with Professor Kim. And the stupid one--

"--yah!--"

"--with Bogum-oppa is Kim Taehyung." Hyeri smirks. "He took Econ as an elective even though it has nothing to do with his major."

"I thought his name was Jackson," the other boy hisses as if Jaebum isn't within earshot. Taehyung casts a doubtful eye at Jaebum, but then hangs his head and focuses on his textbook when Bogum places a hand on his shoulder. Jaebum tenses at the mention of Jackson, but doesn't say anything to correct him.

From the way Taehyung's dressed--sweatpants, track shoes, a loose shirt--he figures that Taehyung majors in dance or something that involves physical activity. Jaebum snorts. Accidentally choosing a difficult elective sounds like something this Taehyung would do.

"Shouldn't Jackson be the better option?" Taehyung asks snidely, earning him a cold look from Jaebum.

"Technically, yes," Seulgi says distractedly, flipping a page of her book, and for a second Jaebum is offended. "But you should have heard about Jackson Wang by now. He has a spotless record so far. Full marks on everything. He's taking three business classes and abstract algebra for no reason other than it's a class close to the gym where the fencing league practices."

"I've heard," Taehyung mutters. "That bastard. Naeun and Wendy constantly talk about him. Sehun doesn't even look at me anymore because he's waiting at every corridor hoping to catch a glimpse of him. 'His arms, V, his arms!' yeah, I know Sehun, I know what arms are, we're all born with them."

Jaebum's opinion of him increases slightly when he sees how bitter the guy is.

"You can't really ask someone like that to tutor you. You'll only feel stupid."

Jaebum is surprised to hear this from Bogum, who glances at him and smiles genuinely. "Thank you for agreeing to tutor them."

Jaebum hasn't really agreed to anything. He didn't know what he was getting into. He only really wanted to see what Hyeri was up to, but Bogum's waiting smile is uncannily charming, that Jaebum finds himself sitting gingerly on the chair that Hyeri pulls out for him.

"Now that our savior's here, I can go," Bogum announces gleefully, and Taehyung groans at the same time Hyeri's face falls. "I have to meet my brother. He's coming back from that university summit."

"Do you have to go now?" Hyeri pouts, and Jaebum catches Taehyung and Hyungwon gagging in the background.

"You know him," Bogum sighs, and there's a hint of adulation in his voice. "He hasn't slept properly in a month. He's probably wandering the campus somewhere in a daze. Who knows who might take advantage?"

The explanation seems to placate everyone, even Hyeri who looks a lot less bright and bubbly. Bogum takes his bag and jacket from a chair and steps around the table to plant a kiss on the top of Hyeri's head. "Text me when you're done. I'll look for you once I've tucked my brother into bed."

Once Bogum takes his leave, Jaebum settles in, still in disbelief over the turn of events, but Hyeri cracks open a book the next second and they're all suddenly studying together like it's normal.

 _I don't even know any of these people,_ Jaebum thinks, and then sighs in resignation. "All right. Let's get this over with. What part of the lesson do you need help with?"

At once, the four of them start talking over each other, and Jaebum is swamped.

\--

They're not half bad.

Except for Taehyung.

Taehyung would have been a lost cause if Jaebum hadn't suggested a change in how he approached each material.

"OK, just, just take a break for five minutes. Let me figure something out," Jaebum says patiently as he digs into his bag for some index cards. He almost burst out in annoyance  half an hour ago because half the time Taehyung kept getting distracted by a pretty student or a text on his phone, and the other half he kept making jokes or petty insults at Jaebum's expense. But once he saw the frustration in the way Taehyung tore through his notes and the way he curled his fingers around his hair and pulled at them, he couldn't really muster the energy it took to get mad.

_He just needs a different approach, that's all._

Hyungwon seemed pretty satisfied with his old notecards, his problem being his terrible note-taking and chickenscratch handwriting, while Seulgi only needed to be torn away from the intimidating block texts of the economics book to actually makes some progress.

In Taehyung's case, he needed something fun and exciting to keep his attention on the material.

That day at the library, Jaebum makes two sets of notecards. The first is littered with imagery--not just charts and graphs, but drawings, tables, symbols, and whatever visually stimulating media he can think of. Taehyung mocks his poor drawing skills, which is expected, but the derisive smirk turns into a look of surprise once things start clicking in his head.

The second set of notecards were full of phrases grouped together in fours.

"Do you know this rap called 'William Hung' by Jay Park?"

All hell breaks loose after that. Taehyung is trying to stop himself from hollering in laughter, while Seulgi tries to rap the song using the lyrics he made, phrases taken from his notes to help remember important bullet points.

"It's genius," Hyungwon nods in approval, his eyes glinting so much that it makes Jaebum uncomfortable.

"I'm gonna need a copy of that," Hyeri agrees, snatching the notecards to Taehyung's sputtering protests.

Jaebum sits back and tries not to snicker at the four other students, trying to rap under their breaths for fear of being kicked out by the librarian.

"You're not half bad, Im," Taehyung says, sniffing at the admission. Jaebum pretends that it doesn't make his chest swell in satisfaction.

\--

"What did I tell you?"

"I honestly didn't expect him to be so ... so ..."

"Sexy?"

"Oh my god, Hyungwon, keep it in your pants."

"He's a'ight."

"Oh, please. You like him."

"OK fine. He's good. Can you shut up now?"

"He's brilliant. I can't wait to tell Bogum-oppa!"

"You know for a second there I thought you were back to your thot phase when you dragged him into the roo--ow! That hurt!"

"This whole situation is perfect. I don't know how boss man even found him. I'll do my research tonight."

"And he's best friends with Jackson Wang. That's gotta be the best incentive yet."

"What did Professor Yoo say?"

"He's trying to convince him to join the fencing team. It's a tough climb, but he thinks he can convince Jaebum by next week through some more prying."

"He'll be easy to slip into the team. Bogum-hyung only has to pull some strings."

"And then what? what do we do now?"

"Well all that's left is convincing Jaebum. Once our boss man secures him--"

"--he'll ruin Jackson Wang--"

"--and our resident usurper Mark Tuan won't know what hit him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of it isn't making sense so far, but hopefully I find a clever, brilliant way to reveal what the intrigue is all about.


End file.
